CM Punk to challenge Grayson Waller for NXT title on 4 November
CM Punk will challenge Grayson Waller for the NXT Championship on Wednesday, 4 November, after announcing the match in a video message at the end of NXT Halloween Havoc on Saturday, 31 October.
Waller had just kept the title in the main event of Halloween Havoc, beating Tony D’Angelo in a rough, back-and-forth match. The finish came after the referee was knocked down and could not count: Waller hit D’Angelo with a crowbar and then landed his finishing move for the pin. D’Angelo’s wife and son were in the crowd, and Waller had taunted them during the match.
As Waller celebrated, the night’s host, Danhausen, stopped him and played a message from Punk on the big screen. Punk said he would face Waller for the title on the next episode of NXT. It would be the first NXT title of Punk’s career if he wins.
Waller won the championship from D’Angelo in August at Heatwave, in a four-way match that also included Cruz Montana and Zilla Fatu. The Halloween Havoc match was his second defence of the title, after he beat EK Prosper in late September. Punk, meanwhile, is also due to face Kevin Owens on SmackDown on Friday, 6 November, in the final show before the Crown Jewel event.
Why it matters
Punk is one of WWE’s biggest stars, and he normally appears on the main roster rather than NXT, the brand where younger wrestlers develop. His title shot puts a rare spotlight on NXT and on Waller, who returned to NXT in July after years on the main roster and has built himself up as champion in only a few months.
For Punk, it is also a new first: despite a long career at the top of WWE, he has never held the NXT Championship. A win would add the one major WWE title still missing from his record.
What happens next
The title match takes place on NXT on Wednesday, 4 November. Punk then moves on to his SmackDown match against Owens on 6 November, ahead of Crown Jewel. Until the bell rings, Waller remains champion, and the match is still to be won.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://www.wrestlinginc.com/2303366/wwe-nxt-champion-grayson-waller-opportunistic-win-halloween-havoc-main-event/ (Wrestling Inc, 1 November 2026)
- https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25521044-grayson-waller-vs-tony-dangelo-winner-top-highlights-nxt-halloween-havoc-2026 (Bleacher Report, 1 November 2026)
- https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/news-breaking-cm-punk-drops-wwe-bombshell-set-for-major-title-match (Sportskeeda, 1 November 2026)
